In keeping with the country’s well-known affinity for Bitcoin and crypto adoption, the government
of El Salvador has taken another step towards establishing Bitcoin and crypto technology as a
mainstay of its society. The country recently announced an initiative to put public servants
through a comprehensive crypto certification program focusing on strategic management and
public policy.
80,000 Public Officials to Benefit
El Salvador has extended its commitment to Bitcoin, announcing that it will roll out a nationwide
training program, to arm 80,000 government employees with the necessary knowledge and
skills for Bitcoin-related policy management and implementation.
The program will be under the leadership of the National Bitcoin Office (ONBTC), with the aim of
continuous commitment by the country to the integration of Bitcoin within the national framework
and taking its place among the countries leading global crypto adoption.
The virtual Certification of Public Administration 1 course is designed for 160 hours, is flexible
and covers all the subjects relevant to the course. It will be offered asynchronously, giving room
for public servants to learn at their own pace while balancing existing responsibilities. Also, the
course will be divided into seven modules of online sessions ranging from the basic principles of
Bitcoin to the particular norms and laws governing its use in El Salvador.
Project director Stacy Herbert, who is also the director of ONBTC, believes that educating
government employees on Bitcoin can have an excellent impact on the economy of El Salvador
and affirms the country as a hub of crypto adoption.
“These education projects are very low time preference commitments to the long-term success
of El Salvador and its bitcoin (& tech) policy” she explained on X.
For Herbert, this is foundational not just in building a workforce knowledgeable in Bitcoin but
one that can guide the country in its continued transformation into a more digital world. She also
claims that there will be another major crypto education announcement from El Salvador soon.
The Higher School of Innovation in Public Administration, ESIAP, created by President Nayib
Bukele in August 2021, is in charge of the training. ESIAP was created to improve the quality of
governance and public administration in El Salvador, with the certification in Bitcoin opened as
one of its integral activities for the same purpose. It is put in the course curriculum with the
objective of high standards of excellence in governance at the vanguard of integrating Bitcoin
into public policy and administration.
El Salvador’s Bullish Bitcoin Trend
In 2021, El Salvador became the first country in the world to adopt Bitcoin as a legal tender -
second to the US greenback. Since then, they have been pioneering different initiatives to push
cryptocurrency adoption, with a leading focus on Bitcoin. It is a focal belief by the government
that the direction will improve the economy and facilitate foreign investment.
They backed the policy with a $150 million fund to ensure the liquidity of Bitcoin transactions.
The fund is there to make the conversion between Bitcoin and the US Dollar easier and act as a
kind of financial buffer in case of Bitcoin price fluctuations.
The government also offered other different incentives to promote crypto adoption through
Bitcoin like removing some taxes on Bitcoin-related transactions and offering tax incentives to
companies. In recent times, El Salvador has partnered with several Bitcoin companies and
organizations to build the necessary infrastructure, such as ATMs and payment systems, to
support widespread Bitcoin adoption.
Another one of their major efforts for increased Bitcoin adoption has been education initiatives
to raise awareness and make sure that Bitcoin is integrated into the country’s economy and
society.
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